TONIGHT: Raw was taped earlier today in London, England. On tap for the show: Triple H vs. Randy Orton in a Wrestlemania rematch, only this time, it’s no-DQ. That’s all WWE.com has to say about the show, but we know from Raw last week that with Santino’s loss to The Great Khali, his twin sister Santina will be on the Khali Kiss Cam. Or will that be on Smackdown? I don’t think they really said. And we’ll get the final hype for Backlash, which is this coming Sunday.

-WWE Open.

-RAW Open.

-Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole intro’d the show, and plugged the no-DQ Wrestlemania rematch between Triple H and Randy Orton.

-But first, it’s Smackdown’s Chris Jericho. Did he not get the memo that he’s no longer on Raw? Ah, it’s so they can plug “The Wrestler,” out on DVD tomorrow. Jericho said that he has felt like a cast-away for the past year. He said that tonight is his final appearance on Raw, forever. The fans cheered and Jericho accused them of never appreciating his value. Jericho said he’s moving on to bigger and better things and he said without him on Raw, things will change for the worse on Monday nights. He surmised that in six months, people will be begging him to come back to Raw, but he’s not going to do it. He was about to leave the ring when Ricky Steamboat’s music hit and the 2009 Hall-of-Famer came out. Steamboat told Jericho that he was wrong and that the WWE Universe is NOT unappreciative as Jericho said they were. He said they showed him tons of appreciation Wrestlemania weekend. But he said if the fans won’t appreciate Jericho, he will. He appreciates what Jericho did, dragging Steamboat in the ring for his final two matches. Jericho said that’s not why Steamboat came out, but to bask in the spotlight one more time. Jericho told the Dragon he was finished and that nobody cares about him anymore. Jericho said none of Steamboat’s friends at Wrestlemania have been heard from since he destroyed them a few weeks ago. Jericho continued to put down Steamboat and the fans again chanted “you still got it,” thanks to Jericho’s hint. Y2J said Steamboat and his fans are delusional. He then asked for a one-on-one match against Steamboat at Backlash. He said he’d finish Ricky off, if he accepts. Before he could, John Cena came out.

Jericho got in Cena’s face before the champ could get a word in. Jericho said Cena is going to pander to Steamboat and all his fans. He said it’s his last appearance on Raw and he doesn’t have to listen to Cena anymore. Jericho said his last act on Raw will be to walk out on Cena. So he did. The fans sang the goodbye song to him as he walked up the ramp. Steamboat accepted Jericho’s challenge, leading to Jericho to crack a smile as he walked. Cena said Jericho thought he was going to stand up for Steamboat- but based on their past encounters, Steamboat can stand up to Jericho for himself. Cena was the messenger for Vickie Guerrero, who would not be there tonight. Neither would Edge (met with boos). But apparently, Cena will be in action, and it’ll be against Jericho tonight. Cena and Steamboat stood, arms raised, in the rings.

-Rey Mysterio’s final appearance on Raw will be tonight against the Big Show.

[Commercial Break]

-Cole and Lawler, on camera, talked about how the draft lottery shook things up last week, and plugged that Raw was the #1 cable show on all of TV last week.

-Chavo Guerrero was in the ring, and yikes, with a mic. He said he has officially been drafted to Raw, and thanked his aunt Vickie. He said he’s going to prove to her that he can not only push around her wheelchair, but also anyone on the Raw roster. And then Batista’s music hit. What’s the over-under on match time? How about :45?

(1) Chavo Guerrero vs. BatistaChavo walked into a boot to the gut, followed by a Batista Bomb.

Winner: Batista, at :21. Ah, my guess was just a bit over.

Chavo got on the mic after the match and apologized to Vickie, saying this would never happen again. He said he wasn’t ready. Batista then came back to the ring. When Chavo saw Batista, Chavo changed his tune, saying he was ready. He got another Batista Bomb for good measure anyway.

[Commercial Break]

-Some outside shots of London, including Big Ben, aired.

-Shane McMahon was walking backstage when he came upon Batista. They shook hands and Shane wanted to talk about last week. Batista said things got a little crazy last week and Shane wanted to know if they were on the same page on Sunday. Batista said sure. Shane did say he didn’t appreciate Batista drilling him in the corner. Batista then said he didn’t appreciate Shane double-legging him out of the ring. They both laughed awkwardly and seemed to get beyond their problems from last week.

(2) Kane vs. CM PunkCole said the draft lottery results will take full effect next week on Raw, following Backlash. See how easy that is to actually make rules or at least give some sort of idea to the fans about why these guys are still on the show? Kane almost knocked Punk loopy with a right hand and got a two-count off it. Kane set for the chokeslam, but Punk came back with some kicks, then a knee in the corner. Bulldog, no, then Kane ran into a boot. Springboard clothesline for two by Punk. Kane took Punk down again and got him up for the chokeslam, but Punk got out of it with a DDT(?- according to Cole) into a small package for the win.

Winner: Punk, at 2:11. Not sure what the point of that was. Apparently, it wasn’t to entertain me.

-Santino Marella came out. He said he lost last week to The Great Khali and that now, his sister will have to go to Smackdown to kiss Khali this week. Santino said he was going to call out his sister so he can apologize to her in person. Some people think they’re the same person! Instead, Santina came on the Titan-Tron. She said she can’t kiss Khali, as she developed a blister on her lip. Santina was allegedly in Italy on the Titan-Tron, which drew boos from the crowd. Santina then said she can’t go to Smackdown to kiss Khali.....then the video sped up and she sounded like a chipmunk, done to make it obvious that it was on tape. Santino covered by saying she liked Red Bull. Santino tried to cheer Santina up with a poem. An ode to Marella Family Beauty. Beth Phoenix’s music interrupted and Beth and Rosa came out.

Beth said she was so sorry to hear about Santina’s blister. Apparently, the poem is quite long, because Santina was still smiling on the Titan-Tron. Apparently, Vickie set aside some time at Backlash so Santina and Khali could have their kiss. Santina interrupted, saying it was a great poem. Santino told her to shut up and asked that she be taken off the TV. He said he doesn’t know what Beth is up to, but she’s covered in jealousy. He said she better pray that she wins back her Women’s Title tonight, because she’ll never be Miss Wrestlemania. Beth backed down Santino after that comment. And apparently the match is now! Melina made her entrance, and the match is next.

[Commercial Break]

(3) Beth Phoenix vs. Melina- WWE Women’s Championship MatchThey wouldn’t really have Beth win and have both Women’s titles on Raw...would they? Powerslam by Beth right off the bat. Beth put Melina on her shoulders in a submission move, a bow-and-arrow like hold it appeared. “Ask her!” yelled Beth, apparently taking a cue from Y2J. Melina elbowed out of it and fought for advantage on a backslide. Beth ended up backing Melina into the buckle. Beth again took Melina’s foot and bashed her own head with it. The announcers talked about Beth and Melina previously being best friends. I know Melina was a heel, but I don’t remember this partnership. Melina fought out of the corner and hit a handspring elbow. Melina went to the top rope and grabbed Beth’s arm, putting her down with a facebuster. This angered Rosa, who got on the apron to yell at the champ. Melina moved out of the way and Beth plowed into Rosa. Code Red by Melina on Beth and she was able to retain.

-Triple H was backstage when Shane-O came up to him. Shane tried to make sure HHH would be calm at the PPV and keep his anger in check. Trips said he’d get that out of his system tonight.

-Chris Jericho was walking backstage, headed to the ring for his bout with John Cena, next.

[Commercial Break]

-Cole and Lawler briefly touched on the Edge vs. Cena match coming up this Sunday.

(4) John Cena vs. Chris JerichoBack suplex by Y2J to start things off. Running back elbow found the mark. Fans were behind Y2J as he pounded away at Cena. Cena fired back, but Jericho put him down with a clothesline. The guys alternated punches, to the “boo, yay” of the fans in the crowd. Pretty entertaining. Cena came back and did the “You can’t see me” bit. He put Jericho on his back for the Attitude Adjustment, but Jericho got out with a DDT on Cena. Springboard by Jericho, and Cena caught him on his back. Jericho ran Cena off the apron and head-first into the steel steps at ringside. Cena looked to be out on the floor at ringside as the show went to break.

[Commercial Break]

Jericho covered Cena upon return from break, and Cena kicked out at two. Jericho applied the boots to Cena in the corner. An attempt at the Walls of Jericho was met with Cena not turning over on it. Jericho ended up on the top of turnbuckle. Cena got on the second rope and Y2J got put on his shoulders, but Jericho got out of it and ended up hitting an electric chair for two. Inside cradle by Jericho was reversed, then Cena just picked Jericho up off the mat, put him on his shoulders and tried an Attitude Adjustment but Jericho got out and gave Cena the Codebreaker. But Jericho WAS TOO WINDED TO MAKE THE PIN!! He got two after the pause. Jericho got pissed and was kicking the ropes. He went for a Codebreaker again. Attitude Adjustment was hit instead but Cena stayed down this time. Cena crawled over to Jericho and went for the cover- only two. Cena ventured to the top rope and tried that stupid legdrop. Jericho blocked it and locked in the Walls. Y2J pulled Cena toward the center of the ring. The way he’s got it applied doesn’t even look like it hurts. Counter into the STF (how many times have we seen THAT?). But Jericho got out and hit an enziguiri on the champ. Cover by Jericho got only two. The two moved their brawl to the top rope, where they slugged it out. Cena looked like he was going for a superplex. Edge then came out and pushed the men off the top rope, causing the referee to call for a DQ.

Winner: Cena (or possibly a no-contest, since Jericho was pushed off as well), at 16:29. Good match, but tough to swallow if you’re a Jericho fan because you knew there was no way he was going over.

Edge speared Cena then retrieved two chairs from ringside. Conchairto on the champ. Edge demanded a mic and said that the winner in a Last Man Standing Match is the man who knocks his opponent unconscious for a ten-count. He then counted Cena out. Edge then pronounced himself winner and new champion. I’m thinking his character isn’t all there at this point, based on the way he sounded.

[Commercial Break]

-They showed a replay of Edge’s interference and chairshot. They also showed John Cena being helped from the ring during the commercial break. Lawler called it a huge blow to Cena’s chances this Sunday.

(5) Rey Mysterio vs. The Big ShowIt was all Big Show at the outset. Rey tried to fight back, but it didn’t have much effect, as you’d guess. He hit a 619 into Big Show’s back, then set him up for a traditional one. Show caught him in a mis-time spot and gave him a punch to the head to end it.

Winner: Show, at 1:37.

Post-match, a trainer came out to check on Rey, still flat-back on the mat.

-Coming up, Randy Orton vs. Triple H, no disqualification match.

[Commercial Break]

-More sights from around London.

-Cole and Lawler talked about the six-man main-event at Backlash, then showed clips of Batista vs. Ted Dibiase on Smackdown.

-Dibiase was stretching backstage when Cody Rhodes walked in. He asked how Ted’s back was. Ted said good, how’s his face? Oh, BURN. Dibiase began talking about Orton when Randy walked into the room. Dibiase said they should have no problem this Sunday. Orton said they shouldn’t worry because Orton’s the best in the industry and no one is even close. Orton said HHH will never forget what he did to his wife. Not only are they going to win on Sunday, but Orton guaranteed a win against Triple H tonight.

-Triple H made his entrance for the main event. It’s next!

[Commercial Break]

(6) Triple H vs. Randy Orton- No Disqualification MatchWithin the first minute, the match spilled to the outside. Trips threw Orton into the barricade, then took the cover off the announce table. Orton got off the table before bad things could happen, and he got a garbage can. Neither man could use it as both were countered with kicks to the gut. Back in the ring, The Game pounded Orton in the head. Orton came back with his trademark backbreaker for two. Orton ran the ropes and ran right into a high knee, then was clotheslined over the top and to ringside. Orton took over with a trash-can shot to the head of Trips. Close-up on Orton’s demonic look, then to break.

[Commercial Break]

Orton continued to dominate HHH on the outside, including giving him a one-way trip into the ring steps. Orton slowly set up a DDT of Triple H onto the steel steps, with HHH’s legs hung over the apron. The Game countered and sent Orton back-first into the steps. Face-buster on Orton while using the knee got Trips a two-count. Orton countered a garbage can shot-attempt, but then was spinebustered right into it. More punishment doled out by the WWE Champion. Orton was able to come back with a DDT onto a chair. He set up for the punt, but missed and Triple H chop blocked him. Orton got his legs wrapped around the ring post courtesy of The Game. He continued to zone in on the leg. Figure-four applied (which brought some “Wooos” from the crowd. Orton got to the ropes, but there’s no DQ’s. Orton finally broke it and rolled out to ringside. Triple H brought him back in and again focused on the leg. Trips put Orton’s leg into a chair when Rhodes and Dibiase finally came down to punish Triple H. But Shane McMahon came out and took out both members of Legacy with some ugly punches. Dibiase low-bridged him though and Legacy put the boots to HHH once more. Finally, Batista ran (gingerly) to the ring and clotheslined the heck out of the youngsters, then speared Orton. Rhodes gouged the eyes of Batista, then dodged a spear that ended up taking out Shane. The ring cleared and as Triple H turned around, Orton RKO’d him for the win.

Winner: Orton, at 17:32. I’m just struggling to get into Triple H’s in-ring work at this point.

The faces stood in the ring looking out at the heels, who were standing on the entrance way.

Is Steamboat trying to get work with the sponsor Just for Men?Perhaps the ending of Cena/Jericho allows an opening for Jericho to cost Edge the title, as Edge did knock him from the top rope to either the floor or the 5th dimension.

Steamboat carries himself well in interviews and promos. Now, it remains to be seen whether he can handle a one-on-one match (I think his return matches were all tags, right?) but I am excited to see how he runs at Backlash.

Originally posted by MayhemSo with Jericho, Rey, Kane, Punk, etc. all appearing on RAW this week, what was the point of last week's draft?

To be fair, the whole show they talked about this being the "final" week that the brands were co-mingling. Now if we see any SD guys next week on Raw, then your point about the draft is valid.

I think, with them being overseas and all, they also wanted to load up on as much starpower as possible on both RAW and Smackdown this week, for both the trip reason and also to hype Backlash.

Maybe the better question is with RAW and SmackDown building up to Backlash and being on a foreign tour, what was the point of doing the draft last week? Did US demand that last week's show be the three hour one? If WWE isn't going to pay attention to the draft until next week, why else didn't they just wait until then to do it?

Originally posted by MayhemSo with Jericho, Rey, Kane, Punk, etc. all appearing on RAW this week, what was the point of last week's draft?

The brand split has been non existent for months now, and last night was no different. Why keep up the illusion of a split when there is none?

You know I've noticed this almost every year since the brand extensions and splits.

Yet, it usually from January to Wrestlemania that pretty much all bets are off. Yet, through out the year they have jumps back an forth to set up "good" story lines and angles. At first they tried lay it out with "exclusive" contract but that didn't last long.

EG: Kelly Kelly: What contracts? We have contracts?

Yeah, yet WWE still disregards continuity until it suits a good story.

EG:Piper Pit. Replayed over and over to draw in legends or such. Probably a bad example...someone look me up a better one. Please.

About the only continual continuity the WWE has in Undertaker. 17-0 He's actually had it pretty good in the WWF/E. Except you don't see much of him from is ABA years. They act like he was always zombie Taker and not a biker for a while.

Originally posted by SKLOKAZOIDWhat a weird RAW. I don't understand why they had 2 champions pinned in non-title matches, especially the way Rey got beat.

Cena/Jericho's ending made more sense to me as it protected Jericho without Cena getting pinned. You should be buying the PPVs for non-DQ endings.

If the match was some three-minute special, that last line would hold water. But why give it 16 minutes for that ending? If WWE expects fans to not care about PPV-type endings on TV, then it shouldn't make the fans think they are getting PPV-type matches on TV. Why should anyone have cared about the first 16 minutes of that match? It's like watching three innings of a baseball game that gets rained out and canceled. It's not satisfying at all.

There are exceptions to this, of course. I'm just saying across the board "you should be buying the PPVs for no-DQ endings" doesn't work.

Originally posted by SKLOKAZOIDWhat a weird RAW. I don't understand why they had 2 champions pinned in non-title matches, especially the way Rey got beat.

Cena/Jericho's ending made more sense to me as it protected Jericho without Cena getting pinned. You should be buying the PPVs for non-DQ endings.

If the match was some three-minute special, that last line would hold water. But why give it 16 minutes for that ending? If WWE expects fans to not care about PPV-type endings on TV, then it shouldn't make the fans think they are getting PPV-type matches on TV. Why should anyone have cared about the first 16 minutes of that match? It's like watching three innings of a baseball game that gets rained out and canceled. It's not satisfying at all.

There are exceptions to this, of course. I'm just saying across the board "you should be buying the PPVs for no-DQ endings" doesn't work.

Agreed. And they didn't mind jobbing the WWE champ after a 15 minute match. Or the IC champ in 90 seconds.

Zeruel, do you mean Punk cashing in on Cena at that point as a heel turn?

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

Originally posted by kentishAgreed. And they didn't mind jobbing the WWE champ after a 15 minute match. Or the IC champ in 90 seconds.

Which is why you shouldn't go 3-for-3. Orton had to get heat on HHH, Rey had to .... get destroyed for some reason. It's too soon for them to take the belt off of Cena and we don't want to job Jericho, do we?

Anyway, that's just my take. And I wasn't saying that the PPVs are where you should only get clean endings across the board, just that you shouldn't feel too ripped off when you're watching RAW and the match goes nowhere. Hell, I feel more ripped off that Show-Rey was so decisive because it hurts to have Rey job so hard when he's got a belt.

First, I want to thank CRZ for letting me do this. I gave him the courtesy of asking him to advertise like this and he was cool with it, so thank you very much. I have 4 adult sized replica belts from the late 90s for sale: